Target



F. J. PETERS.

TARGET.

APPLICATION man APR. 6, 1921.

1,389,977. PatentedSept. 6,1921.

FIG-2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. PETERS, OF MILWAfi'KEE, WISCONSIN.

TARGET.

' Application filed April 6,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. PETERS, a citizen of they United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee and State of 'lVisconsin, have invented new and useful. Improvements in Targets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to targets, particularly targets such as are used inshooting galleries and similar places.

Objects of this invention are to provide a target which is adapted to be used in shooting galleries where it is desirable'to provide a renewable target so that the same apparatus may be repeatedly used; to provide a tar get having indicating means whereby the accuracy of the markmanship'may be indi cated; and to provide a target in which an audible sound is given whenever any one of the desirable points on the target has been struck. 1 I

Further objects are to provide a target in which a series of members, such for example, as marbles, may be retained at the desired points in the target and may be readily removed by a successfully placed bullet; to provide such a target so arranged that the marble or other member is guided downwardly against a gong;to provide a target in which the dislodged-member is retained in a suitable base; and to provide a unitary, simple, and sturdy form of target in which all of the mechanism is self-contained; to provide a target in which a plurality of indicators may be retained at each of the crit cal points in the target and in whichonly one indicator may be dislodged at a time; and in which means are provided for accurately guiding the dislodged indicator downwardly against a gong and into a collecting base.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the target.

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation partly in section thereof.

The target comprises a front circular face 1 of sheet iron or similar materialprovided with a rearwardly extending cylindrical portion 2. The back portion of this cylindrical member 2 is closed by means of a suitable cap 3 provided with a manipulating handle 4, the cap being retained in place by means of the flange 5 which overlaps the cylindrical portion 2.

The front face 1 is provided with a series Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921. 1921. Serial No. 459,086.

of apertures 6 which may be arranged as in dicated in Fig. 1. front plate 1 is secured a plurality of tubes 7 which are slightly inclined upwardly as their rear ends are approached. These tubes are of a slightly larger diameter internally than the diameter of the aperture 6 and are adapted to retain a series of spherical counters, such for example, as marbles 8. The rear ends of the tubes are spaced a distance from the rear cap 3 just sufiicient to allow the free passage of one of the counters when dislodged, but not great enough to allow two successive counters to pass outwardly from the tube from any one successful shot.

The target, as thus far described, is carried by a standard 9 which is supported from a suitable base 10, as for example, by means of a socket and tenon joint 11. This standard 9 has an inclined cavity 12 formed in its upper end which cavity opens outwardly upon the front side of the standard and opens upwardly through a corresponding aperture formed in the bottom part of the cylindrical member 2. Suitably tapered surfaces 13 are provided at the bottom portion of the cylindrical member 2 to aid in guid ing the dislodged counters or balls clownwardly into the channel 12. .mmediately in front of the channel 12, a gong 14 is positioned by means of a stem 15 secured to the standard 9. It is to be noted that the outwardly projecting flange 16 of the front face 1 approaches very closely to the upper portion of the gong 14, thereby forming in effect a screen or shield in front of the outwardly opening cavity 1.2. The operation of the device is as follows: Suitable counters are positioned in the several tubes 7 and if desired, distinguishing marks or colors may be given certain of the counters to correspond to certain locations within the target. All of the counters roll forwardly until the front one bears against the inner surface of the front plate 1, the aperture 6 being too small to allow the outward passage of the counter. hen a successful shot strikes one of the forward counters, the impact is transmitted to the rear one and such rear counter is dislodged, the relatively closely spaced rear portion 3 preventing more than one counter from passing out of any tube at any single shot. This dislodged counter then falls to the bottom'of the cylindrical portion 2 and, by the curved surfaces 3 is guided into the cavity 12. From this point, it

Upon the rearface of the passes outwardly and strikes just inside of the gong, rebounds, and is guided into the annular recess 17 of the base 10. A dash and dot line indicates the path of one of the counters from the end of one of the tubes downwardly into the annular recess in the base. By having the'gong turned with its concave portion directed rearwardly and by having the ball or other counter engage the gong from its inner side, the bouncing of the ball outwardly beyond the annular recess of the base is prevented and the collecting of all of the balls within the annular space of the base is insured.

It will thus be seen that a target has been provided which is highly eflicient in operation, sturdy in design, and eminently adapted for the purposes for'which it is intended.

I claim:

1. A target comprising a front member provided with a series of apertures, a series of counters positioned immediately behind said aperturesand adapted to be dislodged by a successfully placed bullet, a gong positioned beneath said front .member, and means for guiding dislodged counters downwardlyagainst said gong whereby said gong is sounded for each successful shot.

2. A target comprising a front member provided with a series of apertures, a series of counters positioned immediately behind said apertures and adapted to be dislodged 1 by a successfully placed bullet, a gong positioned beneath said front member, means for guiding dislodged counters downwardly against said gong whereby said gong is sounded for each successful shot, and a collecting reservoir for receiving and retaining the dislodged counters.

3. A target comprising a front plate provided'with a series of apertures, a series of counters arranged immediately behind each of said apertures any one of said counters being adapted to'be dislodged by a bullet passing through its corresponding aperture, a collecting portion arranged rearwardly of said front plate, a channeled supporting member in communication with said collecting portion adapted to receive and guide the dislodged counters downwardly and outwardly, an indicating device against which they are projected, and a base provided with a cavity adapted to receive and collect dislodged counters.

4. A target comprising a front plate provided with a series of apertures, a series of tubes positioned behind said front plate and being arranged one tube'immediately behind each of said apertures, a series of counters positioned within said tubes,,a rear wall against which dislodged counters are sitioned upon the rear of said front plate, plurality of counters arranged 1n each of.

said tubes and surrounding'said tubes, a removable cap closing said casing and being spaced from the rear end of said tubes a distance just suificientto allow the passage of one dislodged counter at a time, a channele'd' standard suporting saidfcasing and having its channeled portion in communication with a corresponding aperture formed in said casing, a collecting base portion rigidly attached to'said standard, and a gong positioned immediately in front of said cavity and so arranged that dislodged counters when passing outwardly from the channeled portion of said standard will strike upon the inner side of said gong and be guided into the collecting base.

FREDERICK J. PETERS. 

